
Cleveland Water has a long history of providing safe and great-tasting water. Since our founding in 1856, we have worked hard to help our City – and the surrounding region – grow and expand.
© 2023 City of Cleveland, Division of Water
Cleveland Water has a long history of providing safe and great-tasting water. Since our founding in 1856, we have worked hard to help our City – and the surrounding region – grow and expand.
Cleveland Water receives the Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance from the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies
Cleveland Water transitions customer accounts from quarterly to monthly billing to help customers better manage their budgets and more easily track water usage.
The City of Cleveland Heights officially becomes a direct service customer
Crown Water Treatment Plant receives the prestigious Phase IV Excellence in Water Treatment award from the Partnership for Safe Water Treatment Plant Optimization Program
The Capital Improvement Program is now focused on underground infrastructure and $26 million a year is invested in replacing and renewing aging water mains throughout the service area
Interior of the Morgan Finished Water Pump Station
Construction of the 15 million gallon Morgan East Reservoir
Exterior of the newly rehabilitated Fairmount Pump Station
Construction of the Flocculation Tanks at Baldwin
Construction of the Gravity Sludge Thickeners at Nottingham
Cleveland Water begins its Plant Enhancement Program (PEP) to modernize all four water treatment plants
Parma Control Center is renovated, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition is initiated, and the Engineering Field Services Office is constructed
A massive Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is launched to modernize water plant operations and improve larger water mains throughout the system
Cement-lined pipe becomes the Cleveland Water standard and is installed throughout the distribution system
Garrett Morgan, local inventor, rescues several miners trapped when a Cleveland Water tunnel collapses
Warrensville Reservoir and Pumping Station, located between Green Rd. and Harvard Ave., is constructed and delivers water to customers in eastern and southeastern areas of the system
Daily water quality testing begins
Cleveland Water begins to install state-of-the-art automated meter reading (AMR) technology in homes and businesses throughout the service area
The Plant Enhancement Program is completed, investing a total of $650 million across 28 different plant construction projects
Cleveland Water begins to invest $10 million annually on water main replacements in suburban communities that have signed the Amended WSA
Cleveland Water offers Amended Water Service Agreements (WSAs) to suburbs throughout the system – transferring responsibility for main replacement from the city to Cleveland Water within those communities that execute the new agreement
Cleveland Water celebrates its 150th anniversary by recreating the original fountain which appeared on Public Square at the 1856 Ohio State Fair
The Plant Enhancement Program (PEP) includes rebuilding and modernizing all 4 water treatment plants
A new facility is constructed on Harvard Ave. for Distribution & Maintenance. Crown Water Treatment Plant is upgraded, expanded, and modernized.
Renovation of the Division Avenue Filtration Plant is completed and the plant is rededicated and renamed after Garrett A. Morgan
Steam-powered pumps are converted to electric power for the entire water system
The Public Utilities Building, located at 1201 Lakeside Ave., opens, consolidating all Cleveland Water management and business functions into a single location
Parma Control Center is completed, consolidating and upgrading secondary facility operations (pump stations, water tanks, and towers)
Crown Water Treatment Plant, located on Clague Rd. in Westlake, opens to serve customers in west and southwest areas of the water system
Nottingham Water Plant, located between Chardon Rd. and St. Clair Ave., opens to serve customers in east and southeast areas of the water system
Parma Reservoir, located between Snow Rd. and Pearl Rd., is completed as part of the Work Project Administration and delivers water to customers in southwest areas of the water system
Baldwin Filtration Plant & Reservoir and Fairmount Pump Station, both located between Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Fairhill Rd., are placed into service, bringing filtered water to all Cleveland Water customers for the first time.
The Division Avenue Filtration Plant and Pumping Station, located on Division Ave. near W.45th St., is placed into service. A modern marvel of its time, completion of the plant brought filtered water to the west side of Cleveland.
Cleveland begins to add chlorine to its water to help eradicate cholera and typhoid fever
Kirtland Crib (5 Mile Crib), Intake Tunnel, and Pump Station are all placed into service
Fairmount Reservoir, located between Woodhill Rd. and Quincy Ave., is placed into service while the Kentucky Street Reservoir is retired
Kinsman Reservoir, located between Kinsman Rd. and East 116th St., is completed, providing service to higher elevations within the service area
Cleveland Water installs its first water meters
Due to pollution near the shores of Lake Erie, work commences on a new 6,600-foot water intake tunnel, a 5-year project.
September 24, 1856-Water system operations commence
Chief Engineer T.R. Scowden leads construction of the first water facilities, including an intake, pump station, the Kentucky Street Reservoir, and 11 miles of distribution pipe
Cleveland City Council authorizes $400,000 in bonds for the development of a centralized public water system that will eventually become Cleveland Water
Cleveland City Council authorizes the sinking of a well at Public Square
Entrepreneur Benhu Johnson begins delivering water by the barrel to customers at a price of 2 gallons per penny
Cleveland established on the banks of the Cuyahoga River near the shores of Lake Erie